US Decision to Allow Ukraine to Use ATACMS Missiles Against Russia Fuels World War III Fears

Washington, D.C. (November 19, 2024) - The US decision to permit Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles for limited strikes against Russian territory has raised concerns that it could lead to a catastrophic escalation of the conflict.

The policy reversal comes just two months before Donald Trump takes office as President, who has expressed skepticism about US aid to Ukraine. Trump's team suspects that the incoming administration will continue to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied weapons inside Russia.

Russian lawmakers fear that this move could lead to World War III. Andrei Klishas, a senior member of the Federation Council, warned that "the West has decided on such a level of escalation that it could end with the Ukrainian statehood in complete ruins by morning".

Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of the Russian upper house's international affairs committee, also threatened that Moscow's response would be immediate and described it as "a very big step towards World War 3".

US President Joe Biden has argued that this decision will enable Britain and France to grant Ukraine permission to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia.

However, not everyone is convinced. Donald Trump Jr. criticized the US aid to Ukraine on social media, stating that the military-industrial complex wants "to make sure they get World War Three going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives".

Ukrainian officials fear that Trump will cut off the arms supply when he takes office. The ATACMS missiles are among the most powerful ballistic missiles provided to Ukraine, with a warhead containing about 375 pounds of explosives.

The decision by the outgoing Biden administration comes as reports suggest that Russia has already moved its military equipment such as jets to airfields further inside Russia in anticipation of this move.

Experts warn that this could lead to a counter-offensive by Russian and North Korean troops to regain territory in Kursk. When did the US use ATACMS in combat? The answer is 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, where 30 ATACMS were fired against Iraq's medium-range ballistic missile launchers and surface-to-air missile sites.

As tensions escalate, world leaders are on high alert, waiting to see how this situation unfolds.